§ Sir WILLIAM CROSSLEYasked the Secretary for War whether he has had any report of the number of deaths from pneumonia and phthisis which have taken place during the past six months amongst the Territorials present at last year's camps owing to peculiarly wet conditions?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe reply is in the negative. The deaths of members of the Territorial Force who might die after the closing of camps are not specially reported to the War Office unless they were treated in military hospitals. Only one case has been reported to the War Office of a death from pneumonia.
§ Sir W. CROSSLEYasked the Secretary for War whether he will make an order to provide wood tent-bottoms for Territorial camps, so as to minimise the danger of pneumonia and phthisis to men usually employed in warm factories and sleeping, in warm houses?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe regulations provide that if, in the opinion of the medical authorities, the conditions prevailing when camps are in progress render it necessary to provide tent-bottoms, issue of tent-bottoms may be made. They are not ordinary articles of camp equipment. Waterproof ground sheets are issued when tent-bottoms are not supplied.
§ Sir W. CROSSLEYfurther asked the Secretary for War whether he will consider the advisability of providing an iron-building in each Territorial camp, to be fitted with two stoves and with clotheslines and hooks, so that clothes can be readily dried?
§ Mr. HALDANEIt must be remembered that the Territorial Force are provided with a second suit of clothes, and further that their period of attendance in camp is for only fifteen days. It is not, therefore, considered necessary to make special provision for the erection of the buildings and the plant proposed.